The Struggle for Imperial Unity: Recollections & ExperiencesDenison, George T. (George Taylor)
History
The Struggle for Imperial Unity: Recollections & Experiences
Denison, George T. (George Taylor)
Canada -- History -- 1867-1914
6. Canadians have seen the difficulty, and have given this country a
preference of one-third the duty in their markets without any return
or _quid pro quo_. We have contributed to an all British cable to
Australia for Imperial reasons. I advocated at Liverpool a large
tariff on wheat in the United Kingdom against everyone, including
Canada. I advocated a tariff of five to ten per cent. on all foreign
goods at every port in the Empire to raise a fund for the common
defence, and to combine the Empire for trade. We in Canada do not
require this change if you do not. We are prosperous; our exports
are mounting up by leaps and bounds; the balance of trade is in our
favour: but we are in the Empire; we have made up our minds to stand
by it. We have spent the lives of our young men, and our money, in
that cause in the past. When, therefore, we see your manufactures
going down, your export trade barely holding its own in spite of a
great increase of population, your carrying trade slipping from your
hands, your agricultural interests being destroyed, three quarters of
Ireland disloyal, principally because their farming has been ruined by
what must seem a false policy to them, is it any wonder that we should
wish to appeal to you to do something? Is it not only fair that you
should listen to us, and if we can combine in any way to defend our
Empire from foreign aggression, either in war or in trade, should we
not all endeavour to do so?
Yours, &c.,
GEORGE T. DENISON.
_President British Empire League in Canada._
[The picture which Colonel Denison paints in such gloomy colours is
unhappily true in a large degree. But the remedy is not to be found
in impoverishing the people, increasing the price of the necessities
of life, stopping the current of Free Trade through our markets, and
establishing the principle of scarcity and dearness in the place
of abundance and cheapness. Such a remedy would simply hasten the
catastrophe that Colonel Denison foreshadows.--ED. _D.N._]
Lord Masham, speaking to me afterwards about this letter, laughed most
heartily and said, "Just think, to get that letter before the readers
of the _News_. That is capital, how the editor must have grudged
printing it."
I spoke at the Canada Club dinner on the 8th May in response to the
toast of "The Dominion of Canada," and at the Colonial Club dinner on
the 28th May in response to the toast of "The Empire." On the 2nd June
I addressed the Chamber of Commerce at Tunbridge Wells. On the 4th June
I addressed a large meeting in Glasgow, the Lord Provost in the chair.
On the 5th June another in Paisley, and on the 6th June I addressed
a joint meeting of the Edinburgh and Leith Chambers of Commerce in
Edinburgh.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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